Caffeine Consumption and Rhinologic Symptom Severity

Abstract Caffeine is the most widely consumed habit‐forming drug in the world. A relationship has been proposed between caffeine consumption and rhinologic symptoms. To determine whether the potential deleterious effects of caffeine withdrawal are outweighed by the rhinologic symptom benefits, our group conducted a prospective study of patients presenting with rhinologic complaints at local clinics. Rhinologic symptom severity was assessed using the SNOT‐22 and the frequency and quantity of daily caffeine consumption was assessed by questionnaire. A total of 226 participants completed the study. No correlation was found between caffeine consumption and total SNOT‐22 ( P >.05), rhinologic SNOT‐22 subscale ( P >.05), or tertiles of low, medium, and high caffeine consumers ( P =.18). This suggests that caffeine consumption does not have an appreciable effect on rhinologic symptoms.